5 Genius Hacks for a Home That’s Always Company Ready

In other words, relocate your cleaning goods to the rooms they’re actually used in. (Think tub cleaner under the bathroom vanity, surface wipes in the playroom, etc.) First off, it’ll save time when you’re rapid-fire cleaning if the stuff you need is right where you need it to be. Second, it’ll (hopefully) encourage more frequent maintenance.

The ultimate goal here: Create an environment that leaves a lasting impression on guests. Your secret weapon in this arena? New Glade^® Plugins^® Scented Oil air fresheners. (Hello there, cozy Amber & Oud™ fragrance.) The updated design allows for ultimate fragrance control, plus each refill lasts up to 50 days. Et voilà:Your home feels inviting and comfortable for your guests.

The golden rule of hostessing: Always offer refreshments. We’re huge fans of keeping some fancy appetizers stashed in the freezer (hi, frozen mini quiches), chilled beverages in the fridge and a few good dry nibbles in the pantry. Even decanting a handful of potato chips into a pretty bowl can make you look like the classiest woman alive. Trust.

The ultimate marker of an untidy home? Clutter in the kitchen. So eradicating some of that visual mess from the outset is definitely in your best interest. Move your food processor, Instant Pot and giant collection of chef’s knives into closed storage and your kitchen will look cleaner immediately.

Picking up becomes infinitely easier when you have a system, like stationing a few strategic catchalls around your home. Try a tray in the foyer for miscellaneous mail and papers; an attractive basket by the stairs for shuttling kids’ toys and errant socks; a box next to your partner’s bedside for all of their messy pocket junk. It takes all of 15 seconds to stash clutter away when you have your vessels at the ready. (Shh, don’t tell Kondo.)